KZN Police Commissioner Warns of Insider Involvement in Cash-in-Transit Heists

• Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi says some cash-in-transit heists may involve inside help from security company employees
• His comments follow a dramatic N2 heist in Durban, where a cash vehicle was ambushed after breaking down
• Mkhwanazi questioned how criminals knew about the vehicle’s location and confirmed the driver is under investigation

KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has raised concerns that some cash-in-transit (CIT) heists may involve inside help from employees within security companies, including armoured vehicle drivers.

Mkhwanazi was speaking to the media about a routine CIT operation that turned violent on the N2 in Durban on 13 December 2025, when armed suspects ambushed a security vehicle. He also referred to a separate heist in Mpumalanga, where suspects are believed to have been linked to robberies in KwaZulu-Natal.

"We continue to face challenges with employees who work within some of these companies. In the N2 incident, the driver of the vehicle is under investigation because of activities he was involved in before the heist took place,” Mkhwanazi said.

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He questioned how criminals gain rapid access to sensitive information.

“When a vehicle breaks down on a freeway, the driver calls the command centre. Within minutes, a CIT robbery is reported. How did the criminals know the vehicle had broken down?” he asked.

Mkhwanazi said police often find that such crimes are coordinated through information leaked either at collection points or within the companies themselves.

The N2 cash-in-transit heist

According to police, the N2 heist occurred after the cash vehicle driver stopped due to overheating. While the driver was on the phone with the control centre, a white vehicle allegedly pulled up alongside the truck. Armed suspects carrying rifles reportedly emerged, overpowered the crew, used explosives to blow open the vehicle, and escaped with an undisclosed amount of cash.

The incident echoed a previous shocking cash-in-transit (CIT) heist on the N2 on 4 February 2025, which left one person dead and 12 others injured. In that case, suspects forced a cash vehicle to overturn just after 6 am, opened fire on guards and bystanders, detonated explosives near the NPC Cement Factory, and fled the scene.

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Social media users weigh in on Mkwanazi's comments

Mkhwanazi’s comments sparked debate on social media, with many users agreeing that insider involvement plays a role in CIT crimes.

@StHonorable commented:

"Mostly, it's done by underpaid employees from Fidelity Group and G4S. With SBV, you'll never see such a betrayal.Employers must pay their employees accordingly to avoid this criminality."

@Aya_Muzin said:

"It’s very true, how do criminals know so much money will be heading this direction on such a day? This calls for planning and execution; criminals do not wake up in the morning and say we will try our luck on CIT. They plan based on information from the security guards."

@tmmoila12 remarked:

"He is right, but some have no choice. They're threatened with death if they don't cooperate with criminals. They must go beyond the driver; the mechanic workshop also must be investigated."

@TAUKHOAPA stated:

"Inside job is the nature of the game from a long time ago."

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@boshmane23 commented:

"I have never heard that the SBV car has been attacked, all cash in transit are armoured inside."

2 Briefly articles on cash-in-transit heists

Previously, Briefly News reported that five suspects linked to a CIT robbery were killed in a shootout with police in Crown Mines, Johannesburg, on 24 July 2025. The suspects were fatally wounded after a high-speed chase on the M1/M2 highway and a gun battle with officers.

In another incident, at least two people were killed during a CIT heist in Dawn Park, Ekurhuleni, on 1 September 2025. The deaths followed a shootout between suspected robbers and a private security company, with police unable to immediately confirm whether the victims were security personnel or members of the armed gang.

Source: Briefly News